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Flights to Iceland: delays, cancellations and your rights

By passengers on routes within Europe in Eurostat’s 2024 data, Keflavík – the hub of Icelandair – was by far Iceland’s busiest airport (PLAY, also Icelandic, stopped flying on 29 September 2025). Iceland is not in the EU but applies EU261 through the EEA Agreement: it covers every departure from Iceland, whatever the airline, and flights to Iceland from outside the EU, Norway, Iceland and Switzerland when an airline licensed in one of those countries operates them.

By the EU261 Flight Delay editorial team Last reviewed: How we write our guides

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In short: Flying to Iceland from elsewhere in Europe, a delay of 3 hours or more is worth €250–€400 per passenger on typical routes (EU261, any airline); from the UK £350 under UK261. On the way home, EU261 covers every flight leaving Iceland.

Your rights each way

DirectionRulesCovered airlines3h+ delay / late cancellation
Another EU/EEA country or Switzerland → IcelandEU261any airline€250–€400
Iceland → another EU/EEA country or SwitzerlandEU261any airline€250–€400
UK → IcelandUK261any airline£350
Iceland → UKEU261any airline€400
Outside Europe → IcelandEU261only an EU airlineby distance, up to €600

Amounts are per passenger and depend on the great-circle distance between your airports – the ranges cover the busiest routes. Whatever the cause, from 2 hours’ delay the airline must provide meals and drinks, and a hotel if you are stuck overnight – where EU261 or UK261 applies. Living in Iceland or flying from there? See how to claim in Iceland.

Check your flight to or from Iceland

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What happened?Step 1 of 4

What happened to your flight?
Where did you fly from and to?

With a connection, enter your first departure and your final destination – compensation is based on the total distance.

How late did you arrive at your final destination?

What counts is when the aircraft doors opened at your destination – not the departure delay.

When were you told about the cancellation?
When did you arrive on the replacement flight?
Which airline operated the flight?
When was the flight?

How many passengers were on the booking?

1 passenger

Every passenger gets their own compensation, children too. Infants under 2 without their own seat do not count.

  • Free, no sign-up
  • Fee only if successful (35%)
  • AirHelp: Trustpilot 4.5/5

Rather skip the questions? Start a claim with AirHelp straight away

Airports in Iceland

AirportPassengers 2024*ATFM delay per arrival 2025Main cause
Reykjavík Keflavík (KEF)5,226,008––
Reykjavík (RKV)286,128––
Akureyri (AEY)177,429––
Egilsstaðir (EGS)91,372––
Ísafjörður (IFJ)28,462––

* Passengers on routes reported to Eurostat (both directions).

Routes from the UK to Iceland

From the UK: in the CAA’s 2025 data most UK flights to Iceland went to Keflavík, with some to Akureyri and Egilsstaðir. Flights from Iceland are covered by EU261 whatever the airline; flights from the UK to Iceland by UK261.

Punctuality of the busiest routes in 2025, from UK Civil Aviation Authority data (departures from UK airports).

RouteFlightsOn time3h+ lateCancelled
London Heathrow – Reykjavík2,14983.9%0.37%1.01%
Manchester – Reykjavík1,29880.1%1.60%1.14%
London Gatwick – Reykjavík1,24477.2%0.24%1.35%

Busiest European routes

Strikes

No strikes affecting flights in Iceland are announced in our calendar at the moment.

Strike calendar

Where to complain

  1. The airline first – in writing, with your booking reference. Use our complaint letter generator.
  2. National enforcement body: Icelandic Transport Authority (Samgöngustofa) – Online complaint form in Icelandic and English..
  3. Dispute resolution: Samgöngustofa settles disputes between passengers and airlines with a formal ruling (úrskurður). The ruling cannot be appealed to another authority, but either party can still go to court.
  4. From the UK: if you flew from a UK airport or with a UK airline, you can also use UK ADR, the CAA or the small claims court.

Tips for flying to Iceland

  • Samgöngustofa’s rulings are formal decisions, not just opinions, which makes it a strong first step if an airline refuses to pay for a flight from Keflavík.
  • Samgöngustofa’s online complaint form is available in English as well as Icelandic.
  • Because Iceland applies EU261 through the EEA Agreement, an Icelandic airline counts like an EU airline: its flights into the EU from outside are covered.

Frequently asked questions

Am I covered on a flight to Iceland?

From anywhere in the EU, the EEA or Switzerland, yes: EU261 covers every departing flight, whatever the airline – €250–€400 per passenger on typical routes if you arrive 3 hours or more late. From the UK, UK261 covers every departing flight (£350). From outside Europe you are covered only on an EU airline.

Am I covered on the flight home from Iceland?

Iceland applies EU261 to every departing flight, so you are covered with any airline (€250–€400 on typical routes).

Who enforces passenger rights in Iceland?

Icelandic Transport Authority (Samgöngustofa) – Online complaint form in Icelandic and English.. Complain to the airline first; if it rejects you or does not answer, you can turn to this body. All national enforcement bodies.

Are strikes covered?

It depends whose staff are on strike. Air traffic control or airport strikes are usually extraordinary circumstances; strikes by the airline’s own staff are not (CJEU C-28/20). See strikes and compensation.

Data: Eurostat 2024, EUROCONTROL, UK Civil Aviation Authority 2025. Information only, not legal advice.

Sources

  1. National enforcement bodies under Regulation (EC) No 261/2004 (updated 13 October 2026) – European Commission
  2. Réttindi flugfarþega – Samgöngustofa
  3. Ákvarðanir, dómar og úrskurðir – Samgöngustofa
  4. EEA Joint Committee Decision No 171/2004 incorporating Regulation 261/2004 – EUR-Lex
  5. Air passenger rights (scope incl. airlines based in the EU, Switzerland, Norway or Iceland) – Federal Office of Civil Aviation FOCA
  6. Regulation (EC) No 261/2004 – full text (Article 3: scope; recital 15: air traffic management decisions) – EUR-Lex
  7. Regulation (EC) No 261/2004 as it applies in the UK (UK261) – Article 3, scope – legislation.gov.uk
  8. UK flight punctuality statistics 2025 (flights by destination from UK airports) – UK Civil Aviation Authority
  9. Air passenger transport by reporting airport (avia_par), 2024 – Eurostat
  10. Eurostat – air passenger transport routes between partner airports and main airports (2024) – Eurostat
  11. EUROCONTROL – airport arrival ATFM delays (open performance data) – EUROCONTROL
  12. UK flight punctuality statistics 2025 – UK Civil Aviation Authority

We check every rule against the sources above. Spotted an error? Tell us – see our editorial policy.